This invention relates generally to a burial service assembly and method. Particularly, this invention relates to burial service assemblies and methods to transfer and position a casket for a burial service at a cemetery and to subsequently transfer the casket into a burial vault for interment at the grave site.
As part of a funeral proceeding it is common, subsequent a service at a church, synagogue, or funeral home, to have a service or ceremony at the cemetery. The burial service at the cemetery is typically attended by family and friends of the deceased. Preferably, the service at the cemetery is performed at a comfortable and pleasing location.
Several problems exist when providing burial services at a cemetery. A burial service provider typically sets up a service area for placement of the casket during the service and to provide a lowering device at the burial site. Several personnel are usually necessary to move the casket from the hearse to the casket viewing area and then for placement of the casket into the burial vault. Personnel are also necessary for subsequently lowering the vault into the grave. In summary, the service provider must present a burial service site that is both efficient for the servicing personnel and which is comfortable and pleasing to those attending the service.
Apparatus have been proposed and developed in the past relating to burial services at cemeteries. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,625 to Young et al. provides a method and apparatus for lowering a vault into a grave. The method uses a two unit apparatus and suggests the use of a specialized casket design in the method. U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,636 to Schneider provides a device that holds the vault above ground so that a casket can be placed into the vault. Schneider further provides a display platform for the vault lid and a mechanism for lowering the vault into the grave. U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,390 to Blase et al., discloses a generally rectangular-shaped casket-placer and casket lowering apparatus for supporting a casket over a grave opening during a graveside service.
These prior art references do not provide a comprehensive solution to the burial service problems discussed above and, as far as is known, no such assemblies and methods have been proposed or developed to provide an assembly and method for burial services at a cemetery which is economical, efficient and pleasant to both the provider and the service attendees.
An object of the present invention is to provide a centralized location for a burial service, comprised of an assembly and method that can efficiently be operated by a small number of personnel and which is pleasing and efficient to the service attendees.
The above objectives are accomplished in accordance with the present invention, by providing centralized locations for burial services at a cemetery. At the centralized location the casket is displayed, the burial service is performed and the casket is lowered into the burial vault. The vault with casket is then moved from the burial service site to the grave site. This efficient procedure allows for another burial service to be performed shortly after the vault is removed from the burial service site.
The invention relates to a burial service assembly and method. The burial service site assembly may be placed at a centralized location in a cemetery or several such assemblies may be located at preselected sites in a cemetery. The service site assembly comprises a casket display and placing apparatus which may be placed on a rigid base having a canopy and a seating area. Preferably, a burial vault is placed on the rigid base or in a lowered pit area of the rigid base. The casket display and placing apparatus is constructed and arranged so that a casket may be placed and secured on the apparatus for display during a burial service. The apparatus is also constructed and arranged so that the casket can be aligned over the vault and lowered therein. The assembly of the invention allows the burial service and the placement of the casket into the vault at the burial service location.
The casket display and placing apparatus includes a movable cart structure having a lowering mechanism assembly. The movable cart structure is constructed and arranged to transport and align the casket over the vault opening. The lowering mechanism assembly, positioned on top of the movable cart structure, has means to lower a casket that is placed on the lowering mechanism assembly, through the interior of the frame structure and into the vault. The lowering mechanism assembly further provides means to aid the operator when placing the casket on the display surface. The assembly and method of the invention permits generally one attendant to perform the entire operation of placing the casket for display and lowering the casket into a vault. These and other benefits of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings.